When was the last time you washed or even just rinsed your son's or daughter's mouth guard?
I hate to admit it but I'm guilty of ignoring that important little piece of equipment game after game. It's an oversight that ends for me immediately, though, thanks to the information I gathered while researching this week's equipment story on mouth guards. I'll have more on that in a moment but first, a quick reminder why every minor hockey player in Canada should have a mouthful of mouth guard every time he or she hits the ice.
Studies on the merits of mouth guards in hockey continue to be researched and published but the majority of these studies are coming to the same conclusion; wearing a mouth guard helps prevent damaged teeth, concussions and jaw fractures. Mouth guards also prevent 'soft tissue' injuries to the lips, cheeks and gums, especially for kids wearing braces.
What are the options?
There are three main options when it comes to purchasing a mouth guard:
- Custom made: Usually by a dentist or health professional. The most expensive.
- Boil and bite: Store-bought and customized at home. Budget-friendly.
- Ready-made: Remove from package and place in mouth. The least expensive.
The ready-made mouth guards might not cost much but they are criticized for not providing enough protection because they fit every mouth differently. Custom-made mouth guards are criticized for their price tag which can easily hit the $100 level and beyond. The 'boil and bite' mouth guards are somewhere in between when it comes to cost, fit and protection which is why you'll find 'boil and bite' guards in the mouths of most Canadian kids.
Keep it clean
No matter how much you paid for your child's mouth guard, it should be cleaned as often as possible. Dental professionals, hygienists and everyone else involved in the teeth business agree that mouth guards are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria, yeasts and mold. This microscopic matter thrives in the tiny little bumps, grooves and pores that exist in all mouth guards. In fact, it thrives so much, the mouth guard eventually becomes a pretty nasty piece of equipment by the time it heads back into our kid's mouths.
So now that I've researched this topic, I've come to the conclusion that I have to start cleaning our mouth guards on a regular basis. With that in mind, here's my new 1 minute, 3-step plan of attack.
Step One
After we've laid out all the equipment to dry in the basement, we're going to head to the kitchen sink with a toothbrush and the mouth guard. We'll brush the mouth guard using cool water for about 20 seconds.
Step Two
We'll pour some mouthwash on the mouth guard and brush it for another 20 seconds. Then we'll rinse it off with more cool water.
Step Three
We'll store the mouth guard in a plastic container with air holes so it has a chance to dry. (And we'll remember to clean out the plastic container every now and then as well.)
Three easy steps taking about a minute of your time to ensure your kids aren't putting a bacteria-bomb back in their mouth. And just like that, you've given your little hockey player a fresh reason to 'smile' at the rink again this weekend.
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